Opinion on Rounded vs. Sharp Corners?

[Cryptocartography]

Hey all! I'm just finishing up my tarot deck and looking into printing. I'm debating right now: once printed, should the cards have rounded edges?

 

Aesthetically I actually like the cards having sharp corners since I think it fits the style of the deck. But I've never seen tarot with sharp corners before, and I'm concerned that it'd make them hard to shuffle or cause them crease very easily. Would you happen to have any thoughts or knowledge on this? These are some of the originals as they are currently with sharp corners!:

 

Edited February 4, 2022 by Cryptocartography

[katrinka]

Some of the TdMs and other reproductions of antique decks are manufactured with square corners, because that's how the decks originally were.
I've seen people gripe about it though - they say it's uncomfortable to shuffle. I haven't personally experienced that (or had any problems with creasing, for that matter) and I'm a little puzzled how these people are shuffling, but apparently there's a little faction of people who really don't like them.

BUT - If you think it's a better deck with square corners, go with that. People who are bothered by square corners tend to own corner rounders anyway. 😉

Edited February 4, 2022 by katrinka

[reesa]

I would just like to pop in to complement the appearance of these cards. The art is stunning!

Have a great day 🙂

[gregory]

1 hour ago, katrinka said:

BUT - If you think it's a better deck with square corners, go with that. People who are bothered by square corners tend to own corner rounders anyway. 😉

 

This is true. I'd want the deck in my hands before I decided to do that to it, though. I have never done it to a historical repro deck though - that would be Wrong !

[vulprix]

I like sharp corners, sometimes.

 

I am a heathen and lopped the corners off of my beautiful, gorgeous 2nd Edition Daniloff Tarot, because it indeed WAS hard to shuffle with them! (I did the science!)  To be fair, the deck is hard to shuffle anyway, because it is long and thin.  But the sharp corners had really made the cards not want to separate from each other; they would shuffle in clumps. I don’t really regret taking the corners off for those practical reasons, though it might have been more beautiful with the sharp corners.

 

I think on smaller decks which are easier to shuffle, sharp corners are not bad so long as the cardstock isn’t super thick and glossy. I have never had this deck, but I remember ATers having issues with the Robert Place Vampire deck really “biting” into their hands!

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

old playing cards came with square corners, and in photos they are quite softened and worn. I doubt anyone would use this deck to that extent, around campfires, in the pub...:)  If I remember correctly one of Robert Place's tarots (Vampire?) came with square corners and it was a pain to use so I rounded them. 

[Decan]

I have a corner rounder punch 🙂

Actually aesthetically I don’t dislike sharp corners, but I don’t find a deck with sharp corners very comfortable to shuffle so…

[Eric13]

Those are nice cards.

Sharp corners would give it more vintage appeal to me. 

[Cryptocartography]

22 hours ago, katrinka said:

Some of the TdMs and other reproductions of antique decks are manufactured with square corners, because that's how the decks originally were.
I've seen people gripe about it though - they say it's uncomfortable to shuffle. I haven't personally experienced that (or had any problems with creasing, for that matter) and I'm a little puzzled how these people are shuffling, but apparently there's a little faction of people who really don't like them.

BUT - If you think it's a better deck with square corners, go with that. People who are bothered by square corners tend to own corner rounders anyway. 😉

 

Thank you so much! I had no idea that there were reproductions of antique decks with square corners, that's really really cool and I think I might try and imitate that with this deck!

 

20 hours ago, reesa said:

I would just like to pop in to complement the appearance of these cards. The art is stunning!

Have a great day 🙂

 

Thank you so much I deeply appreciate it! 😄 

 

20 hours ago, gregory said:

 

This is true. I'd want the deck in my hands before I decided to do that to it, though. I have never done it to a historical repro deck though - that would be Wrong !

 

Very good to know that readers have the option to and will round their own corners in certain situations, thank you!

 

16 hours ago, vulprix said:

I like sharp corners, sometimes.

 

I am a heathen and lopped the corners off of my beautiful, gorgeous 2nd Edition Daniloff Tarot, because it indeed WAS hard to shuffle with them! (I did the science!)  To be fair, the deck is hard to shuffle anyway, because it is long and thin.  But the sharp corners had really made the cards not want to separate from each other; they would shuffle in clumps. I don’t really regret taking the corners off for those practical reasons, though it might have been more beautiful with the sharp corners.

 

I think on smaller decks which are easier to shuffle, sharp corners are not bad so long as the cardstock isn’t super thick and glossy. I have never had this deck, but I remember ATers having issues with the Robert Place Vampire deck really “biting” into their hands!

 

This is extremely good to know, many thanks! If I end up going with sharp corners, I will definitely stay away from super thick/glossy cardstock. Definitely don't want the cards to stick together or actively hurt readers! 

[Cryptocartography]

2 hours ago, AJ-ish/Sharyn said:

old playing cards came with square corners, and in photos they are quite softened and worn. I doubt anyone would use this deck to that extent, around campfires, in the pub...:)  If I remember correctly one of Robert Place's tarots (Vampire?) came with square corners and it was a pain to use so I rounded them. 

 

Very good to know, thank you! From what you and others are saying it sounds like Robert Place's deck is very pointy indeed- I may get a copy for reference! (Also looks like a gorgeous deck too)

 

1 hour ago, Decan said:

I have a corner rounder punch 🙂

Actually aesthetically I don’t dislike sharp corners, but I don’t find a deck with sharp corners very comfortable to shuffle so…

 

I haven't tried shuffling a deck with sharp corners before, definitely want to try that before settling on a particular path!

 

1 hour ago, Eric13 said:

Those are nice cards.

Sharp corners would give it more vintage appeal to me. 

 

Thank you so much I really appreciate it!

[Niobium]

I too have a corner rounder. I like the look of square corners on the 'older' or 'classic' looking decks, but on some it makes working with them annoying and that's when I bust out the punch. 

 

I think with those card samples you listed, the square corners look more natural, owing to the art style.

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

Ship of Fools are very similar color and feel, and it's corners are  rounded. Here is a sample from Tarot Garden. 

https://tarotgarden.com/ship-of-fools-tarot/

[bastetly]

There are different degrees of rounding.  I don't care for sharp corners even though old TdMs and repros usually have them,  The example of AJ's above I think is a nice example of subtle rounding.  Anything more would conflict w your lovely cards design imo.

Here's an example of diff corners, if one had to do it themselves.  I would rather not!

https://www.amazon.com/Corner-Rounder-Laminate-Projects-Scrapbooking/dp/B08PBM6FMK/ref=sr_1_8?crid=33HSC1R2PGAAB&keywords=corner+rounder+punch+for+cardstock&qid=1644100760&sprefix=corner+rounder%2Caps%2C598&sr=8-8

 

[katrinka]

And here is the same type, rated five stars, for almost $2 less. 😁
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09G6XRC2K/

Trimming decks, IME, is tedious and slow because you have to be so careful. But corner rounding goes fast, you're finished before you know it.

[NadineSophie]

I personally prefer the rounded corners, I feel like it makes shuffling and handling them easier. :)

[bastetly]

On 2/5/2022 at 3:04 PM, katrinka said:

And here is the same type, rated five stars, for almost $2 less. 😁
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09G6XRC2K/

Trimming decks, IME, is tedious and slow because you have to be so careful. But corner rounding goes fast, you're finished before you know it.

My example was for better clarity, not a promotion of the product itself.  I would buy the cheaper one too 😄

 

Now to trimming corners:  That's 78 X 4 corners!  Why not hope this would already be done by the card maker, unless it adds too much price?  I have better things to do then trim 312 corners unless I HAVE TO  😉

 

[katrinka]

11 minutes ago, bastetly said:

Now to trimming corners:  That's 78 X 4 corners! 

 

And still much faster than trimming 78 x 4 sides in an attempt to square round corners.
 

11 minutes ago, bastetly said:

Why not hope this would already be done by the card maker, unless it adds too much price?

 

Because some decks are more aesthetically pleasing with square corners, and most aren't bothered by them.

[gregory]

Using a corner rounder, a whole deck is done in not very long at all. I use a little fiskars rounder that looks like this but I can't find mine on amazon any more. It's so easy you can almost do it without looking.

:

[katrinka]

Yes. The kind of "work" you can do on the couch, with a movie on. 🙂

[Eno]

The problem I see with sharp corners is that they tend to look worn out after a while,  roud corners don't wear off that fast.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Eno

[katrinka]

1 hour ago, Eno said:

The problem I see with sharp corners is that they tend to look worn out after a while,  roud corners don't wear off that fast.

 

Like the ones on this Madenie that's been one of my go-to TdMs since 2013 or so?

 

Or this Sibilla 1890 that's seen use since - I don't know, when did it come out? 2006?

 

 

Protip: thumb the middles and not the corners when you riffle. 😉

[vulprix]

4 hours ago, katrinka said:

 

Like the ones on this Madenie that's been one of my go-to TdMs since 2013 or so?

 

Or this Sibilla 1890 that's seen use since - I don't know, when did it come out? 2006?

 

 

Protip: thumb the middles and not the corners when you riffle. 😉

Okay, I have to know… do you riffle the Madenie? I only have a Chosson by Yves, and I can’t riffle it to save my life!

 

I do think there is some truth to sharp corners sometimes being a little more vulnerable to damage depending on the cardstock. But any well-loved deck is going to show wear of some kind over time anyway.

[katrinka]

Yes, I riffle it. I riffle all my coated decks.
And yes, corners aren't the only thing vulnerable to wear. Some people wear the images themselves away - I always wonder if that's from table wash shuffling. A lot of it can depend on how you handle your cards.

[wokeara]

❤︎❤︎❤︎

 

i always prefer less sharp corners or rounded corners. i read someone say gripping sharp edged cards is uncomfortable and they’re right! i definitely wouldn’t prefer to things poking me while i shuffle, yk? don’t mention paper cuts too, sharp edges seem like they’d lead to those more often. 

 

❤︎❤︎❤︎

[Cryptocartography]

Hey everyone, thank you so much for your knowledge and thoughts! I've decided for the first print run I'm going to try and give it a more antique feel and go with square corners, but see if they wear really easily/if people really want round ones 😄